


Brady Bunch Drabbles

by tigerlili48



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-11
Updated: 2014-06-12
Packaged: 2018-01-24 10:02:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1600835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigerlili48/pseuds/tigerlili48
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drabbles of Once Upon a Time in the form of the Brady bunch. Cora and Mr. Gold as the parents with Mary Margaret, Regina, Emma, David, Neal, and Henry as the kids.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> None of the drabbles are beta'd so bear with me.

Regina woke up to the alarm and quickly turned it off, she couldn’t risk hitting the snooze button. If Mary Margaret got into the bathroom before her, there was no way they would make it to school on time. Regina took a timely mannered shower and returned to her bedroom to finish getting ready for the day, pulling on her school uniform and finishing her hair.

 

Upon making sure she was presentable for school, Regina went to go wake up her little sister, Emma. Of course, as the oldest, it’s supposed to be Mary Margaret’s job; Regina knows that if she were to let that responsibility fall to her older sister, then they would most definitely never make it to school.

 

Regina entered the room and gently sat down and rubbed the little girls back, “Emma, it’s time for school.” Regina watched for the subtle change in breathing that Emma would no doubt try to hide. When she saw it, Regina said, “Come on, Ems, don’t make me call the tickle monster.” Still no response. “You had your chance, Ems, here he comes!” Regina gently tickled her little sister.

 

“’Gina! Stop! No school!” Emma screeched, trying not to laugh, “I’m sleepy.”

 

Regina shook her head, “Well, I’m sleepy too, but we have school, and Mommy’s in her room waiting to help you with your hair so go on.”

 

Emma reluctantly trudged out of her room and Regina sighed. Standing up, she returned to her room to check over her homework. Twenty minutes later, Regina smirked as the morning ritual of Mary Margaret’s meltdown occurred. She stood up and entered her mother’s room.

 

“Yes, darling?” Cora was finishing Emma’s hair, her curls, while very pretty, could be a hassle.

 

Regina walked over and told her mom, “MM is having her meltdown, I’ll finish Emma’s hair.”

 

Cora kissed Regina’s forehead, “Thank you, darling.” She left to go deal with her eldest’s tears, muttering, “Every single morning, what is wrong with her.”

 

Regina shook her head and looked down at her sister, “So, Ems, how was Mommy doing our hair today?” Emma smiled and told her what Cora’s plans had been and quickly completed the hairstyle that was pretty and would stay out of Emma’s way. “There we go, just like a princess.”

 

Emma shook her head, “I’m not a princess! I’m a knight!”

 

“Of course you are, Emma, how could I forget when all you do is get into trouble,” Regina agreed, smiling and making sure Emma knew she wasn’t insulting her, “MM is the princess isn’t she.”

 

“You are too! But MM isn’t really a nice princess. Not like you, maybe that’s why Mommy calls you an angel,” Emma explained.

 

Regina smiled, “I suppose it is. Thank you, Ems.”

 

Emma was already dressed in her school uniform and now completely ready for school. Regina took Emma’s hand and led her down the stairs. Cora was already downstairs making her daughters breakfast.

 

“Are we all ready for school today?” She asked them.

 

Regina nodded, “Yes, I checked over Emma’s worksheets that she did last night. As well as my own.”

 

Cora beamed at her middle child; Regina was the one who seemed to pick up on needed help. Emma could be a handful and someone had to handle Mary Margaret’s meltdown every morning. “Thank you, darling,” She brought the two plates over for them, “Minnie Mouse Pancakes for my beautiful knight, and perfectly round pancakes for my intelligent angel.”

 

Regina rolled her eyes, “Mom, I’m nine, come on.”

 

Cora shook her head, “You will always be my angel, Regina.” The nine year old gave a small smile; she admitted that she liked being her mother’s angel.

 

‘And cue the princess,’ Regina thought as Mary Margaret strolled into the kitchen. The rest of the family was almost finished with their meal and once again, they would be strapped for time because Mary Margaret needed and hour and a half in the bathroom herself.

 

“Good morning, everyone,” Mary Margaret sat down at the table with her plate.

 

Regina hid her rolling eyes and Emma smiled, “Are you happy now, MM? ‘Gina said you weren’t before.”

 

Mary Margaret smiled, “Yes, I am, Emmy.”

 

Emma whined, “Don’t call me that!”

 

“Oh come on, Emmy, it’s just a nickname,” Mary Margaret mocked.

 

“A nickname that you insist on calling her. She doesn’t like it, so stop it,” Regina defended.

 

“It’s not like there’s anything wrong with it,” Mary Margaret glared.

 

Regina shook her head, “Why can’t you just be nice to her?”

 

“I’m not being mean! It’s just a stupid nickname!”

 

“Girls!” Cora raised her voice, “Mary Margaret, you know very well that Emma does not like to be called Emmy. I expect you to respect that and conduct yourself like the twelve year old you are. Regina, while it’s nice for you to stand up for Emma, she needs to learn to voice her opinions herself. And Emma, it is just a nickname, I understand that you don’t like it, but sometimes we have to deal with things we don’t like.”

 

Regina continued to glare at Mary Margaret, who simply shrugged their mom’s words off like she hadn’t even opened her mouth. Emma nodded to her mom, agreeing that the nickname wasn’t anything to get heated about, regardless of the fact that she disliked it.

 

Cora nodded at the silence between her daughters, “Good, now take your dishes to the dishwasher before we’re late.”

 

“I haven’t even gotten a chance to eat!” Mary Margaret complained.

 

Cora sighed, “You should have thought of that before spending twenty minutes on which bow would look best with your eyes today and then fighting with your sisters. Come along.”

 

Regina helped Emma load her plate before grabbing both of their backpacks while instructing Emma to put on her shoes. Cora bent down and tied her daughter’s shoes before Emma told her to stop, “Mommy! I want to do it!”

 

Cora watched as her little knight tied her shoes and smiled, “You are the smartest six year old, you know that Emma?”

 

Emma beamed up at her mom, “Really?”

 

“Yes, you are,” Cora lifted Emma onto her hip and led the girls onto the porch before heading to the car. The drive to school was, as always, filled with Mary Margaret constantly flipping radio stations, Regina telling her to stop, and Emma just talking, about anything and everything even though no one was truly listening.

 

Once the girls were dropped off at school, Cora drove to the law firm where she was a partner and got settled to start her day. Though she was excited for her lunch that day because she had a very special lunch date.

* * *

 

Vincent sighed as he stared at his ceiling; he had another ten minutes before he had to wake up his sons. It was no easy task being that he had no help from anyone to wake them up and only his youngest made mornings easy. He stood up and pulled his work suit from his closet taking the time to pull it from the zipped dress bag. After he laid it out, he went to go wake up his sons.

 

He started with David, as he was the most difficult one to handle. The thirteen year old hated waking up and he hated going to school unless it was for football or to see his friends and the girls. Vincent opened the door and drew back the curtains on the window, "Time to wake up, David."

 

"Dad! Get out of my room!" David groaned.

 

Vincent shook his head, "Come on, get up."

 

"No, I'm not going to school today."

 

"Well, that's news to me, and why, pray tell, are you not going to school?" Vincent asked, every morning, David had a new reason for not going to school and they all boiled down to he didn't complete his homework.

 

David answered, "There's no football practice today, my presence at school does nothing for me."

 

"Well, since I am the one paying for you to go to that school, you are going, and if I find out that you're truant again, you won't like the consequences. Now get up," With that, Vincent walked to his middle child's room, "Neal, time for school. Up." Neal rolled over in his bed but didn't actually wake up, "Fine, the hard way it is." He went over to the window and did the same thing he did to David, "Neal, up."

 

"But Dad!" Neal groaned, the ten year old, fortunately for Vincent, wasn't able to go back to sleep once woken up.

 

"You have school, get up."

 

Neal rolled out of bed and went to the shower. Vincent watched him go and made his way to Henry's rom. No doubt the seven year old was already dressed and most likely reading a comic book while waiting. He knocked lightly on the door before entering. As always, Henry was sitting on his bed, fully dressed in his uniform, sans tie, Vincent had to do that for him.

 

"Morning, Dad." Henry said, not looking up from his comic book.

 

Vincent smiled, "Good morning, Henry. How did you sleep last night?"

 

"I had a dream about a knight fighting ogres and a prince finding his princess. Also one about the avengers! It was awesome!" Henry went on to tell his dad about the amazing dreams he had. Vincent listened and was amazed at how his son's stories were in such great detail. His imagination was endless, and he never wanted to see that fade.

 

"That's wonderful, Henry." Vincent told him and stood up to return to his room, taking a quick shower, he finished getting ready for the day. Once he was completely ready, he headed back to David's room. The thirteen year old still wasn't awake. Vincent rolled his eyes, "David, up now. Breakfast will be on the table in fifteen minutes and I suggest you find yourself fully dressed and down at the table in this time."

 

Vincent left the room and started making breakfast; you couldn't be the father of three children and not know how to cook. Within fifteen minutes, his three boys were at the table. Though, David and Neal looked a little haggard; they both refused to follow the dress code and tuck in their shirts and on a daily basis one of them would forget their belt. Henry was the only one who was dressed and looked ready for the day, though still sans tie.

 

The boys quickly ate their breakfasts and took their dishes to the dishwasher before running up the stairs to grab their things. Henry came down the stairs first, backpack on and tie in hand.

 

"Dad, can you help me?" Henry asked.

 

Vincent smiled and took the tie, "Of course, Henry." He finished tying the tie and smiled, "Are you all ready for school today?"

 

Henry nodded, "We get to learn about dinosaurs today!"

 

"God, you're such a nerd, Henry. When you get older you're going to need to learn that sports and girls are more important that school," David said walking down the stairs.

 

"Do not insult your brother, David. He definitely does not need your input," Vincent reprimanded. Once Neal joined them in the foyer, they headed of to school. Vincent dropped them off at school and headed to his office. He had a case that he was on the defense for and it wasn't a case he was enjoying. At least he had a special lunch to look forward to.


	2. adults 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next set of little drabbles

Cora was looking over her case files and thinking about the case, but also wondering about her daughters and her current boyfriend. Vincent was a lovely man and a very good lawyer like herself, it gave her someone to talk to, but also the fact that he was a single father meant that he understood when she couldn't just go out. Most of their dates were during lunch in the middle of chaos, it wasn't the ideal way, but Cora didn't think she'd be able to handle much more than that.

 

"You, my dear, are thinking too hard," Cora looked up at her door to see Vincent standing there.

 

Cora smiled, "What are you doing here? We agreed to meet there."

 

Vincent shrugged, "I got through paper work a bit faster than planned and thought it might be nice to surprise you." He pulled a single red rose from behind his back.

 

"It's beautiful. Thank you, now, shall we head out for lunch?"

 

Vincent nodded, taking Cora's hand, he led her out of her office and down the elevator.

 

They didn't talk much on their way there. Enjoying the quiet and being around another adult not related to work. Once they were sat down at the restaurant and ordered, they began talking.

 

"How has your day been, darling?" Cora asked him.

 

Vincent smiled, "It has been good, I finished paper work for the defense. I'm not liking this case at all. It's not looking good."

 

"I'm sorry, I hate those cases as well. Unfortunately, getting those cases are a curse to being the best," Cora complimented.

 

"For the defense maybe, I'm sure that I never want a case against you," Vincent returned, "How were the girls this morning?

 

Cora sighed, "Status quo, I don't know what I'd do without Regina. She wakes Emma up, gets up before Mary Margaret so there's no fighting, she's way too mature for her age. I wish some of that would rub off on Mary Margaret. How were your boys?"

 

Vincent took a sip of his drink, "David seemed a bit more compliant than others. I consider myself lucky that Neal doesn't go back to sleep like David. Henry is just too mature as well. He's only seven and gets himself up and dressed. Usually he's ready before I am."

 

Cora laughed before turning serious, "When are we going to tell the children?"

 

"When do you think will be best?"

 

"Regina tutors after school, while Mary Margaret has orchestra and Emma has her sports classes. After 6pm anytime after the next two weeks so I have time to tell the girls not to make plans or ask for play dates," Cora answered. She kept her girls in after school programs so she never had to worry about how they got home or pay for a nanny.

 

Vincent nodded, "That sounds reasonable. David has football until six, Neal is supposed to be going to tutoring, I've recently learned he's been skipping. Henry has dinosaur club and chess club. The boys are finished with their activities around 7. We could do a Saturday dinner out?"

 

"That sounds lovely. I'm sure the children will accept this," Cora tried to be optimistic.

 

"Cora, this isn't a thing they have to accept. We are their parents, and it will take time but, they're children. I'm not giving you up because David and Neal decide to be difficult. They'll just need time," Vincent told her. He wasn't going to leave Cora because of his children.

 

Cora gave a small smile, "That's lovely to hear," She didn't reciprocate the message. Vincent knew from the beginning that her daughters were first to her. They meant more than anything to her, so of course she was going to give them time and it'll be rough at first; at the end of the day, if they didn't like him, Cora knew she would be leaving him.

 

Vincent respected Cora for her strength and sacrifice, she gave everything to her daughters. He knew that his reluctance to give her up regardless of his sons was a difference in raising boys and girls; but he still wished Cora would put herself first at times. They had only gone out at night three times in the year they had been together.

 

"So, Saturday in two weeks," Vincent confirmed, "Where shall we go?"

 

Cora nodded, "Yes, there's this small restaurant that I take the girls when they feel like they want to get dressed up for dinner. How formal do you think you could get your boys?"

 

Vincent laughed lightly, "The most formal I can get them is their uniform, and David and Neal are written up every other day for breaking that."

 

"So, not there," Cora agreed, "Where would you like to take the children?"

 

"I was thinking there's a lovely Italian restaurant that the boys like. It might make them more compliant," Vincent suggested, he was nervous about how his sons will react to knowing their father was dating again.

 

Cora smiled at him and replied, "That sounds perfect."

 

The rest of their lunch was filled with talk of work and of their children, and Vincent talked to her about a musical that was coming to their city. He presented Cora with the tickets and asked her to take one night for themselves. Cora smiled and accepted. She agreed that sometimes she needed to make time for herself that didn't include work.

  


	3. kids 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just remember that it's all AU and my representations of Cora and Mr. Gold are clearly anything but canon.

"I knew mom was dating someone!" Mary Margaret said, going through her entire closet looking for an outfit that she thought would be perfect.

 

Regina and Emma sat on her bed, already dressed for the dinner. Regina rolled her eyes at Mary Margaret's dramatics. "You're acting like this is the end of the world, MM, you're going to upset Emma."

 

"Do you not think of anything, 'Gina? This could change our whole lives. We might have to move, go to a new school, we could be getting a new dad and who knows possibly new siblings," Mary Margaret ignored the anxious cowering of her youngest sister.

 

Emma looked at Regina, "I don't want a new dad."

 

Regina hugged Emma, "Before we make any judgments, lets meet him, okay? He might not be that bad and mom won't let our lives be ruined by a guy. She wouldn't do that."

 

Emma nodded and Mary Margaret rolled her eyes, "You don't get it."

 

Regina sighed, "Emma why don't you go see where mommy is," she watched as the blonde ran from the room, "Why do you do that to her?"

 

"She should know what we're looking at," Mary Margaret replied.

 

Regina pinched the bridge of her nose, looking every bit of their mother when she was frustrated. "It's like you want Emma to be terrified before the night even starts."

 

Cora entered the room with a crying Emma in her arms, "Girls, come downstairs, we need to talk."

 

"I'm not ready yet," Mary Margaret complained.

 

"Now, Mary Margaret."

 

Regina walked out of the room and followed her mom, there was a ghost of a smirk on her lips. Mary Margaret was going to get it for trying to psych out their little sister. She never understood how Mary Margaret could say such things while knowing what it would do to Emma.

 

Regina and Mary Margaret sat on the couch while Cora sat on the chair with Emma on her lap, "Now, Mary Margaret, would you like to tell me why Emma is crying about having to move?"

 

"All I said is that you dating this guy could change our whole lives," Mary Margaret answered, picking at her manicured nails.

 

Cora wiped more tears off Emma's face, "If it were going to change your lives, don't you think you would have noticed before now. It's been a year girls."

 

Regina scowled at her mom, "You waited a year to tell us you were dating someone?"

 

Cora nodded, she knew that Regina would feel like she was held out on, "I didn't want to bring someone into your lives just to have them leave. I wanted to be sure that he would be here for a while. He also understands, he has three kids of his own."

 

"So we are getting new siblings," Mary Margaret replied.

 

Cora rolled her eyes, "Not necessarily. We talked about it and thought it had been long enough and that it was time for everyone to meet. It doesn't mean that we're going to get married."

 

"But the potential is there," Regina said lightly.

 

"Yes, there is a possibility that we may get married," Cora answered.

 

Emma started shaking her head, "I don't want a new daddy!"

 

Cora glared at Mary Margaret briefly, "Emma, why don't you just meet him and his sons and we can see how it goes?"

 

"No!" Emma yelled.

 

Regina walked over to Emma, "Ems, come on. It might not be so bad. Why don't we just go to dinner, be brave, knights are brave aren't they?" Emma nodded lightly, "And you're a knight. It'll be okay. If you don't want to, you don't have to talk to them or anything, but it could be fun. Plus it's Italian, you like Italian, Ems. So, we're at least going for dinner."

 

Emma nodded and Regina smiled, "Lets go pick out shoes for you, okay?"

 

"Can I wear my pretty sandals?" Emma asked, hopping off Cora's lap.

 

"Of course," Regina took her hand, "Lets go put them on."

 

Regina led her out of the room, leaving Cora with Mary Margaret. Cora turned her head and looked at her eldest, "Why do you insist on making Emma upset?"

 

"She deserves to know, if you get married what happens to us, our home, school, what about my friends?" Mary Margaret asked, her face was turning red.

 

Cora sighed, "Darling, you know that you three will always come first to me."

 

"But what if we're not important to him, and then slowly we get forgotten like after you're married," Mary Margaret bit her lip.

 

Cora's heart broke a little and it made her consider calling the dinner off entirely, "Come here, darling," Mary Margaret curled herself onto her mom's lap, "I will never let anyone or anything become more important than you three. I can live without being married, I can't live without you three."

 

"You say that now, but Ruby's mom got remarried and now she lives with her granny because she's never home," Mary Margaret explained.

 

Cora squeezed her daughter, "Ruby's mother is not me. I would never let that happen. I love you too much." She kissed her princess' forehead.

 

"Promise?"

 

"I promise. No one could replace my princess. How about you finish getting ready now? You just have to come," Cora told her.

 

Mary Margaret nodded and stood up, "We won't have to like move schools, will we?"

 

"No," Cora answered, "There will be no switching schools, especially not in the middle of the year." Mary Margaret turned to leave, "Darling, lets not scare Emma before anything actually happens."

 

Mary Margaret nodded, "Okay."

 

Cora pinched her nose and made her way back to her room to finish getting ready herself. She passed Emma's room where she saw Regina playing dolls with Emma. Cora smiled and continued to her room. Not a day went by that she wasn't grateful for her princess, her angel, and her knight.

 

* * *

"I want you three in khakis and at the very least not a t-shirt," Vincent told his sons.

 

Henry ran off to his room to do as he was told, he seemed excited to meet the woman his dad was seeing. Maybe he could make a new friend. David shrugged and walked off to his room, he was at the age that he thought it was cool that his dad could still get. girl. Neal, however, stood there defiantly.

 

"I'm not going."

 

Vincent sighed; Neal was closest with their mother who had passed away, "Neal-"

 

"No! You're replacing her like she never even mattered!" Neal yelled.

 

"I loved your mother very much, there's not a day that goes by that I don't think of her," Vincent sternly replied.

 

"That's a lie! You just want a new woman, you're just trying to replace her!"

 

"Neal, please come here," Vincent led his son into his study, "I loved your mother, and she loved us all. You have to understand something though, when you love someone, you want them to be happy. Even when they aren't happy with you, that's love, son. She wouldn't want you running around making trouble because you miss her, that's dishonor. Honor her memory by trying to be happy."

 

Neal sat on the couch in the study, "But mom is gone, how?"

 

Vincent sat next to Neal with a picture in his hands of their family, "Love, Neal. That's how. Your mother wouldn't like me to stay alone forever, not if it didn't make me happy."

 

"You aren't happy? We aren't enough?" Neal almost yelled again.

 

"You will always be enough, you are my boys and I love you, more than anything. I also know, that this woman makes me happy in a way only your mother has ever before. Please, just come with us," Vincent was hoping he could get through.

 

Neal stared at the picture, "You're sure this is what she would have wanted?"

 

Vincent smiled, "Yes, I do."

 

"How?"

 

"Because son," Vincent explained sadly, "If it had been me, I would want your mother to find someone else to share her life with. Someone who made her feel special and like she wasn't alone in the world."

 

Neal took a minute before nodding slightly, "Okay, I'll go, but what happens if we don't like her?"

 

"She has three children of her own son, I'm sure she's thinking the same thing right now." Vincent had no idea how true that statement was.

 

Neal ran up to his room to put on nicer clothes. Henry came downstairs with a book in his hand, perfectly dressed. Vincent smiled at his son. "Is David almost ready to go?"

 

Henry shrugged, "He was practicing his "smoldering" stare, he said. Whatever that is. He's weird."

 

"That he is, son," Vincent laughed lightly, "And what book are we bringing to dinner?"

 

"I'm bringing a book I want to re-read," Henry answered, "That way, if I want to talk, it doesn't really matter where I left off because I already know the story."

 

Vincent ruffled his son's hair, "And that is why you are my brilliant son."

 

"I could take offense to that," David said, from the top of the stairs.

 

Neal walked past him and scoffed, "You would have to actually go to class to be able to take offense."

 

"I go to class," David defended.

 

Neal scoffed again, "Yeah, if you have football practice and even then you're too busy passing notes to Killian and Ashley."

 

David moved to try to punch his brother.

 

"Enough." Vincent called it off between his sons, "I want best behavior tonight, please. I expect manners. David we will talk about your current outlook on school later, Neal, no one likes a snitch."

 

The boys left the house and Vincent locked the door and they were off to the restaurant. He was nervous that his boys would make a scene and cause a problem for Cora's girls. He knew how important she viewed etiquette and had no doubt that her girls would be the same way.


	4. all 1

Cora led the girls into the restaurant and were seated at a table. She sat at the head of one side while her girls took the three seats along one side. Emma sat closest to Cora and Regina played with Emma on the kids menu. Mary Margaret and Regina insisted that kids menus weren't necessary for them.

 

"'Gina I want the blue one!" Emma told her.

 

Regina put a finger to her lips, "Ask nicely, Ems."

 

Emma sighed and grumpily tried again, "Can I please have the blue one?"

 

Regina smiled and happily handed over the blue crayon, "What looks yummy, Ems?" She pointed to the menu, knowing that it would take forever for Emma to decide if she was playing the games.

 

Emma searched the menu, "What's that?"

 

"You can read it," Regina encouraged.

 

Emma pouted, "No, I can't! It's too hard!"

 

Emma had been diagnosed with dyslexia and preferred picture books or to play outside. Cora encouraged Emma to read everything even when she tried to get Mary Margaret to just tell her. Mary Margaret would get tired of hearing Emma complain and give in and just read it to her, she was the weakest link.

 

Regina hugged Emma, "Yes, you can. We'll do it together, okay?"

 

Emma shook her head, "I don't wanna."

 

"If we read this, I'll read your story tonight and you can just look at the pictures," Regina tried. Emma's bedtime stories were already known, making her read them wasn't much reading and more telling because she already knew it.

 

Emma stared at the paper, there weren't too many words, "Promise?"

 

"Yes," Regina smiled, "You can do it, Emma."

 

Emma started slowly reading the words, anytime she got stuck or frustrated, Regina or Cora would swoop in and help her get through the words. She was about halfway through the words when Vincent and his sons arrived.

 

Cora stood up and smiled, going to hug him, "Hello, darling."

 

"Good evening, my dear," Vincent returned, "This is David, Neal, and Henry. Boys, this is Cora."

 

The boys said their hellos and sat down, Cora turned to her daughters. Mary Margaret was staring at David with a dumbfounded look, and Regina was still slowly helping Emma with the menu, "Girls, this is Vincent, darling, this is Mary Margaret, Regina, and Emma."

 

The boys sat across from the girls and the adults at the head of each side. Emma became very self-conscious and began refusing to read the rest of the menu.

 

"Do you know what you want Emma?" Regina asked, Emma shook her head, "Well, lets keep reading then."

 

"She can't read?" Neal asked, the question seemed innocent, but Regina was protective.

 

"She can read just fine," She glared at him.

 

Emma leaned up and whispered, "I don't want to read in front of them."

 

Regina looked around to see her mother and Vincent talking lightly, Mary Margaret staring at David who was looking through the menu, Neal was watching her with Emma and Henry was reading his own book.

 

Regina sighed and caved, "Okay, I'll tell you the rest of them, but you have to follow along."

 

Regina read Emma the rest of the menu and she quickly decided what she wanted. Regina went through her menu quickly and decided. Cora looked over the table, Vincent's sons were looking over the menu, Mary Margaret was still staring at David, and Emma was being distracted by Regina. She knew that the kids went to the same school and same grades, but it was a large school.

 

The waiter came and took orders and then, there were no menus in front of faces. David noticed Mary Margaret watching him and turned on the "charm". Neal scoffed at his brother’s antics.

 

Henry had been completely gone from the world, lost in his book filled with knights and princesses.

 

"What book are you reading?" Emma asked him.

 

Henry looked up at her, "I'm reading a Magic Treehouse book."

 

Emma smiled, "I like those."

 

"What's your favorite one?" Henry asked her.

 

Emma looked to Regina, they had every single one of them and couldn't decide her favorite. Regina shrugged, "You really like Christmas in Camelot."

 

"I really do!" She looked back at Henry, "Christmas in Camelot!"

 

Henry smiled, "I like that one too!" He was excited that he had someone else to talk about books with other than August.

 

Down the table, David had smirked at Mary Margaret who thought she was going to die inside from her heart beating too fast. "So, did you finish the math homework?" David asked her.

 

Mary Margaret mentally coached herself, 'stay cool, he's just like me' "Oh yeah, I have to."

 

"Your mom makes you finish your homework?" David partially mocked.

 

Mary Margaret shrugged, still trying to play it cool, "Yeah, it's not like it's hard or anything though."

 

David listened to her and took offense to the fact that she didn't seem to have problems with schoolwork like he did. "I guess we can't all be geniuses."

 

"Who said I was a genius?" She looked at him confused.

 

David shook his head and changed the subject to his football and something he could be the center of attention and was great at.

 

Regina sat at the table and watched over Emma's conversation with Henry, making sure she was never ridiculed or made to feel less than amazing.

 

"You're pretty protective of her," Neal mentioned.

 

Regina's head snapped over, "Someone has to be."

 

Neal lifted his hands in defense, "I'm just saying I noticed. I see how you're the one who takes her to her classroom in the mornings while your sister runs off to her friends. It's nice of you."

 

"She's only six," Regina shrugged, but was really thankful for the praise.

 

"I'd do it too if she were my sister. Henry's pretty independent," Neal glanced over at his little brother actively engaged in the conversation with Emma.

 

Cora and Vincent watched their children interacting. Given that no one was yelling, they were calling it a success and when the meals came Regina and Neal both helped their younger siblings cut up their meals.

 

"You do watch him," Regina commented.

 

Neal smiled lightly and shrugged, "Yeah, when he lets me."

 

Regina laughed quietly, "I know how that one goes."

 

Cora and Vincent continued to talk about everything as well as the show he had taken her to. It had been a wonderful evening for all of them. Cora had given the keys to Mary Margaret and sent the girls to the car as Vincent did the same with David and his boys.

 

"I think this went well," Vincent told Cora.

 

Cora nodded, "It did indeed, darling."

 

Vincent leaned forward and kissed Cora, "I will see you Monday for lunch, yes?"

 

"It's a date," Cora told him and left for her car.

 

The drive home for Cora was filled with lots of talk; most of it was good. Emma liked Henry for the most part but his lack of love for the outdoor play concerned her. Regina felt she could cope with Neal, and Mary Margaret was over the moon about David.

 

"Mom, do you know who he is?!" Mary Margaret squealed, "He's the most popular kid in my grade, and he's our quarterback!"

 

The girls continued to talk about it until they got home. Cora sent Emma to the bath and Regina picked out a book to read to her. Mary Margaret went straight to her room to continue freaking out about David. Once Regina picked out a book she went to Mary Margaret's room.

 

"You do realize that he's going to be your brother if they get married, right?" Regina smirked.

 

Mary Margaret froze and turned to glare at Regina, "Why are you bursting my bubble!"

 

"Because I should have burst the bubble before it was even blown," Regina said, stalking out of the room and into her bedroom to get ready for bed and read Emma her story.

 

Vincent's ride home wasn't filled with much talk, but the boys didn't seem opposed to the girls or Cora.

 

"They were nice, and Emma likes the same books I like, but she said she liked playing outside with Graham. I know him, they always end up dirty," Henry said.

 

Neal laughed, "Henry, normal kids your age like playing outside and getting dirty."

 

"I am normal!" Henry yelled.

 

"Neal, don't patronize your brother. Henry, some kids, most of them enjoy being outside," Vincent cut through the yelling.

 

David remained quiet. He knew that Mary Margaret was excited about talking to him throughout dinner and though she seemed different, it wasn't anything that was going be a problem. They got home and Vincent sent the boys to bed.

 


End file.
